Research in the School
The School is engaged in high-quality research with significant
national and international impact while offering excellent opportunities for graduate
studies. We have been consistently attracting substantial research funding from
the UK Research Councils, European research programmes, industrial and commercial
companies, government agencies and others and our spread of expertise allows us
to respond rapidly to new developments.
We have a thriving student population studying for postgraduate degrees in a notably friendly and supportive learning environment within a successful research culture. The skills, abilities and enthusiasm of our students are vital elements in our research activities and we foster them as effectively as we can through the provision of excellent research training during their graduate studies.
Research Groups
Broadband and Wireless Communications
The group's activities cover system and component technologies from microwave to terahertz frequencies. These include photonics, antennas and wireless components for a broad range of communication systems. The group has extensive software research tools together with antenna anechoic chambers, network and spectrum analysers to millimetre wave frequencies and optical signal generation, processing and measurement facilities.
Digital Media
The digital media group has interests in many of the areas of modern multimedia systems. Activities and interests range from interactive CD/DVD presentation design, through digital film capture, editing and manipulation onto fully animated 3D modelling techniques as used in games and feature films. There is also strength in the e-commerce related server-side web design and coding.
Image and Information Engineering
The group has research interests in all aspects of image processing and image analysis, including high performance classifier design and image interpretation, image coding and video processing, colour and texture feature analysis, and intelligent processing structures, and has an international reputation for its work in a number of key application areas of interest which include handwriting analysis, medical image processing, document processing, and biometrics and security.
Instrumentation, Control and Embedded Systems
The Instrumentation, Control and Embedded Systems (ICES) research group comprises a mixture of well experienced and young and vibrant academics from the School of Engineering and Digital Arts and the School of Physical Sciences. The team works in three complementary research themes - Instrumentation, Control and Embedded Systems. The group has made considerable endeavours in recent years to solve challenging scientific and technological problems across a range of industrial sectors. The group has established strong links with many European countries through EU-funded research programmes. The group's expertise lies primarily in image processing, signal processing, sensors, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), neural networks, robust control and estimation, and embedded system design. Since 2001 the group has published more than 140 peer reviewed journal papers and over 340 refereed conference papers in addition to 26 patents. More than 20 PhD research students have graduated from the group since 2001.